1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface-treated steel sheet for battery containers, a battery container using the surface-treated steel sheet for battery containers, and a battery using the battery container.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, lithium-ion batteries and other secondary batteries are widely used as operating power sources for the use in portable electronic devices, such as video cameras, electronic diaries and notebook-size personal computers. Such batteries are required to have a reduced size, light weight and large capacity in accordance with the enhanced performance of the devices in which the batteries are to be equipped. Batteries are configured such that battery containers are filled with electric power generating elements, such as positive electrode active substances and negative electrode active substances. Therefore, the battery containers are required to have enhanced properties as the important constitutional elements of batteries.
To this end, battery containers may be formed into a desired shape for the use, through drawing, ironing, or DI or DTR forming.
For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1999-204146) discloses, as such battery containers, a battery container for a battery that uses a nonaqueous electrolytic solution. This battery container is based on an iron base material and is formed with a nickel plating layer on the inner surface of the battery container.